For the Past, Present and the Future
by evila-elf
Summary: 10 years after Hitomi gets transported back to Earth...Will she decide to help Van? (New chapter, finally,added!!)
1. Chapter 1

This is my first Escaflowne fic. This contains spoilers for the ending of the series (You should see it to fully understand this, but it isn't necessary)  
  
I don't own Escaflowne. I have my over-watched tapes to keep me happy!  
  
Enjoy!!  
  
  
For the Past, Present, and Future  
  
  
  
Hitomi never forgot about Van, but as time went on, she talked to him less and less. First it was because of the increasing load of homework that comes with being in college that left her feeling exhausted, then track season started. Her best friends Yukari and Amano had been going out for some time at Hitomi's urgings after Amano had returned. They never quite believed what had happened to their friend that one year.  
  
Finally, Van and Hitomi's link that they had once shared had become all but broken. 10 years after their first meeting on the track, he, Allen and Gaea were all but a distant memory. She had moved on to college and was working on a degree.  
  
She loved to be outside, whether it be to study or to take a few minutes and relax. She was currently studying for an exam on one of the park benches, being soothed by the sounds of the birds chirping. She had grown up a lot in those 10 years; her hair was longer, just below shoulder length. She was now wearing tan business pants and a light blue T-shirt. Yukari and Amano came over to her and sat down on either side of her.  
  
"Hello," she mumbled in greeting, finger-reading the textbook in concentration.  
  
"We thought that we'd drop by to see how you are doing, it's been awhile," Amano spoke as Yukari looked over her shoulder at the writing in the book.  
  
Hitomi read for a second more before looking up and smiling at her friends. She sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Whew! Big exam coming up in a few days; I plan to ace it!"  
  
"The way you've been studying, I don't doubt that," Yukari grinned.  
  
"So, how have you two been lately?" Hitomi asked innocently.  
  
"Well," Yukari held up the back side of her hand.  
  
"A ring!?"  
  
"We're engaged!" Yukari could hardly contain her excitement.  
  
"When's the wedding?" Hitomi's eyes gleamed with happiness.  
  
"WE haven't set a date yet," she looked accusingly at Amano who just shrugged and grinned back.  
  
There was a rustling in a tree behind them and some birds darted out and off into the sky, causing all three of them to jump.  
  
"Stupid pigeons," Amano muttered, not liking to be startled, and Yukari chuckled at him.  
  
Hitomi started to return her gaze from the sky back to her book and gave a little gasp when she saw a single white feather float in front of her and land upon her open book. Mouth open, she picked it up and held it before her.  
  
"Hitomi? Are you okay?" Yukari was worried about her friend's odd behavior.  
  
"Kanzaki?"  
  
Hitomi didn't hear a word her friends said at all. Her world became suddenly soundless. The silence was broken my a heavy breathing sound, then-"Hitomi?" a vaguely familiar voice echoed in her mind. "No time...need h... not again!! Last hope," a whisper now, urgently, "Please, Hitomi..."  
  
"Hitomi!" Yukari yelled, finally able to break her friend out of it.  
  
"Van!" Hitomi yelled, startling both Amano and Yukari. She closed her eyes, trying to picture the speaker of the voice, but all she saw was flames. "I have to go back to Gaea!"  
  
"Hitomi," Amano spoke as if talking to a timid child that was ready to run, "there is no such place...."  
  
Hitomi wasn't listening. She quickly stood up, the feather clutched tightly in her hands, he book lying forgotten on the ground. She got up on the park bench and looked up frantically at the sky. Her fingers dug into her palms, drawing blood, but she didn't feel any pain. Looking down at the blood stained feather she whispered, "Van."  
  
Suddenly, the feather started to shine, including the red blood. The air around it started to glow, growing bigger and bigger until the whole bench was surrounded by light. She felt the once-familiar feeling of being lifted into the air.  
  
***  
  
When Hitomi awoke, she was no longer on the bench, but upon the dirt covered ground. She sat up and looked to her right. Amano was helping Yukari to her feet. "You were transported too?" Hitomi asked in disbelief.  
  
"Where are we?" Yukari asked as she rubbed her throbbing head.  
  
Hitomi looked up at the sky and the Earth and Moon, "Gaea."  
  
Amano and Yukari both looked up at their homeland, too shocked to speak.  
  
Hitomi remembered the feeling, smiling slightly, then looked to her left; her smile vanished and she gasped. All the land to that direction starting about 10 feet away was either burnt or burning, the air thick with smoke from the smoldering grass and shrubbery. She looked a little bit harder, squinting through the smoke and thought that she saw something moving under a tree. The tree's branches were on fire and dropping flaming leaves to the ground, briefly illuminating the ground with each leaf that fell to it. She took a few tentative steps forward, her two friends close behind her.  
  
A coughing sound made her run forward.  
  
"Hitomi, wait!" Amano yelled. "It's dangerous!"  
  
By then, Hitomi was already kneeling by a man, his skin almost black from the burning ground and smoke, and his face was streaked with blood and sweat. She turned him over on his back so she could see his face better. "Van?" she spoke softly, afraid that this person before her really was her friend from so long ago. His once-white shirt was turned as black as his shoulder-length hair.  
  
He coughed again and slowly opened his eyes. "Hitomi? You came back," his voice was hoarse and weak. His eyes finally focused on hers for a brief second before he passed out again.  
  
"Hitomi, please fill us in here," Yukari spoke as she stepped next to her friend. "What happened here?"  
  
"I wish I knew myself," she stood up and watched a burning leaf flutter past her and land on a shinning object. She went over to it and picked it up; it was Van's sword bearing the Fanelian crest. She examined the blade, the steel only marred by blood. She brought it over to Van and placed it back in his empty scabbard at his side. "Oh, Van, what's happened here?"  
  
  
To be continued... 


	2. Chapter 2

I finally got time to type out this part!!  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Disclaimer: *sniffs* I don't own them!!  
  
Notes: Please read Part 1 before this part.  
  
Thankx: Thankx for all the reviews and support for my last part! I appreciate it ya'all!  
  
  
  
For the past, Present, and Future Part 2  
  
When Amano bent down next to Van, he pointed to his hand, "Hitomi, isn't that your old necklace?"   
  
Hitomi bent down and picked it up, his loose fingers letting it slip away. She smiled sadly, then shook her head. "No, it's his; I gave it to him. This was probably how I got sent here." She thought for a moment before putting it back around Van's neck.  
  
"You know him?" Yukari asked.  
  
"I use to. We met ten years ago." She looked at him sadly.  
  
With Amano's help, Van was carried away from the smoke-filled air and burning land to where the grass was still green. He was laid gently down next to a river that flowed swiftly throughout the area. The three hadn't spoken for the 15 minutes that they had been walking. The trio gathered around Van as Hitomi tried to get him to respond. She knew that he probably needed to rest after all that he had been through, but she needed to know what was going on first.  
  
She smoothed some stray hair away from his brow and softly called out his name. When she got no response after a minute she turned to Yukari. "Do you still have that towel with you from your gym workout?"  
"Um, yeah," she took her backpack off and dug around for a second before producing the small towel and handing it over to Hitomi.  
  
She dipped the towel in the stream and started washing the soot and blood off of Van's face, revealing underneath the grime some minor burns and cuts. He stirred slightly, but his eyes remained closed.  
  
Subconsciously, Van could hear Hitomi's soft voice, then felt soothing cold water washing against his face. He wanted to open his eyes, but it felt good keeping them closed. Knowing that he had to, he finally opened them a crack, which was promptly noticed by Hitomi.  
  
"Van," she said as she turned to resoak the towel.  
  
He closed his eyes again. "Hitomi, I didn't think you'd come back." He opened them again and looked at her.  
  
"Please tell me what happened here," she folded the towel and placed it against his forehead and grabbed hold of his hand.  
  
Van took a deep breath and started talking, trying to keep his voice even and steady. "As you already know, Fanelia started to be rebuilt. Everything was going as planned and Allen went back to Asturia after awhile with Celena and I remained," he paused as he pondered his next words.  
  
Hitomi closed her eyes and focused on his words, finally seeing his tale come to life before her eyelids.  
  
"A few weeks ago, a batch of renegade soldiers calling themselves the Renagerade broke past the night guards and into the chamber where Escaflowne was being kept..." Hitomi saw a group of men prying open the great chamber doors to get to the Guymelif, hurrying under the cover of darkness. Van came running towards them, drawing his sword. "...I yelled at them to stop..." the men sneered and drew handguns from beneath their cloaks and opened fire, causing Van to duck away. "...They shot at me with strange weapons; I have never seen their like. Three kept me from advancing while the others stole into the chamber..." Large pulleys were attached to Escaflowne and two large plane-vehicles carried away the suit. "...They realized too late their mistake; they forgot the enerist."  
  
Hitomi opened her eyes, the visions stopping. "Where is it?"  
  
"Allen has been guarding it for me. The Renagerades don't know this, however. Yesterday they attacked and I fled Fanelia. They caught up to me in Gasted, where you found me. That city had been deserted for quite awhile now. They set it afire in the hopes of drawing me out in the open so I could be captured. I was able to hide out until they retreated," he licked his dry lips.  
  
"What good is Escaflowne to them, even with the energist? They wont be able to pilot it."  
  
"I don't know," he shut his eyes briefly, then opened them; the time for rest was past. "I have to go back to Fanelia to make sure that they didn't come back, then go to Asturia and warn Allen," he sat up and looked at Hitomi, his eyes moist. "I'm sorry for bringing you back here."  
  
"Don't be. It was my choice as well," she offered him a hand to help him stand, which he accepted.  
  
"Who are you?" he was looking past Hitomi.  
  
She had almost forgotten about her two friends and turned towards them. "van, these are my friends from Earth, the Mystic Moon; Yukari and Amano."  
  
"Why were they brought here?" he asked defensively, earning a scowl from both of them.  
  
"I don't know. They must have gotten caught up in the pillar of light..."she mumbled. Judging from their reactions towards each other, this was going to be a long trip.  
  
to be continued....  



	3. Chapter 3

****

For the Past, Present, and Future Part 3

Rating: PG

Notes: Thankx to all who have reviewed the last two parts! It really means a lot!!

Disclaimer: *snivel, snivel* I don't own them! *Runs away to cry in a corner*

I have finally figured out how to put this in Html format!! Yeah!!

Enjoy!!

Hitomi helped Van to his feet and watched him stiffly walk the few paces down to the river. He unbelted his sword and scabbard from around his waist and set it down at the bank and stepped into the water. He started washing off the soot and grime from his arms, uncovering the many burns and some old scars running down them. Hitomi turned towards her friends.

"Now what, Hitomi?" Yukari tried to keep the venom out of her voice.

"We go to Fanelia, then to Asturia," she shrugged her shoulders as if it were obvious.

Amano spoke up, "You never told us what is going on here. Could you please fill us in?"

Hitomi sighed, not wanting to go into the details that seemed so long ago that they might have been from a past life, but she knew that she must. She told of the events that happened after she disappeared, the events that no one else on Earth had known the full story of. She told of how Fanelia had been burned to the ground, of Allen, Van, Merle, Millerna.

Van listened quietly from the river as he took off his shirt and used it to gently scrub off the spots that remained on his arms, wincing at his sore burns. He noticed that Hitomi left out several parts to her tale, one being, thankfully, his wings, and the other her crush for Allen. Both were for the best.

Amano and Yukari remained silent for awhile after Hitomi had finished relating the tale. "Are you sure he can still be trusted, that he speaks the truth?" Amano said, still unsure of the stranger.

"Weren't you listening?" Hitomi was becoming frustrated.

"People change."

The conversation made Van smile. The two strangers were complete opposites of Hitomi. He supped his hands under the cool water and took a drink, the water soothing his dry throat. Straightening and wringing out his dripping shirt, he splashed out of the river, putting it back on, then grabbed his sword and scabbard and walked over to the sitting trio. "Ready?" he asked quietly.

Hitomi nodded. "Which way is Fanelia from here?"

"Fortunately you were heading in the right direction. We need to follow the river upstream a ways," he turned and started walking, not turning to see if the others were following or not.

Hitomi and her two friends got up off the ground and started to trudge after Van.

After five minutes of walking, Hitomi grew tired of Amano and Yukari's complaints about the strange world and situation that they were in. She walked faster until she was walking next to Van. "Does your city know that you left" Hitomi awkwardly broke the silence.

He glanced over at her, relieved to have her by his side. "I told Merle as I went by her. She should have informed everyone else," he sighed, sad at the current circumstances.

"I'm sorry for loosing touch with you after I had left…"

"Don't be," Van said before Hitomi could speak further. "It takes two to have a conversation."

"I wish that I could have been sent back under better circumstances."

"At least you _did_ get to come back," he said hopefully, speaking to this girl—woman—who he really didn't know anymore. "Do you still predict the future?"

"No. The first vision that I had had in many years was the one when you summoned me here. I haven't even used at my tariot cards nor looked at them in over 5 years now," she paused, remembering. She decided to change the subject from the past to the present situation. "How far away is Fanelia from here?"

"About 10 minutes more away at the pace that we are traveling at." He took a glance backwards at Amano and Yukari. Amano had his arm protectively around Yukari's shoulders. "Are those two the ones I was all those years ago on The Mystic Moon?" he gestured over his shoulder at the couple with his thumb.

"Yes. Unfortunately, when I was transported back that last time, I was taken back in time to before you appeared after that dragon. They have no memory of me being taken at all. I haven't been able to see them much, they have a different schedule at the college…" she drifted into silence once more.

After a few minutes traveled in silence, Van suddenly stopped walking. Amano and Yukari walked next to him and then halted also. "Why have we stopped?" Amano asked, almost dreading the answer.

Van silenced him with a finger to his own lips. He drew his sword and took a few paces forward, the Fanelian Royal Sword held out protectively in front of him. A small movement came from a bush in their path. "Who's there? Show yourself!" He demanded sternly.

"Lord Van?" A small female voice spoke cautiously from the hiding spot, then the bush rustled and a face poked out of it.

"Merle?" Van lowered his sword.

"You've come back!" She dove from the bush after she had gotten over her shock of seeing him and ran on all fours to her friend. She enveloped him in a huge hug that all but cut off his airflow.

"What's wrong? Why aren't you in Fanelia?" he winced slightly from her grip on his burns, but remained silent.

"The Renagerades came back! They are looking for you. You mustn't go back there…."

To be continued!!……


	4. Chapter 4

Surprised, aren't you??

I finally decided to write some more on this and type it out. Thankx to all of you who have reviewed thus far and begged me to continue this

Sorry that this is so small a part, but it is better than nothing. I have a little bit more written which I will try to get out in another part after a few revisions and additions.

Enjoy!!

Disclaimer: As always, I don't own them. (If wishes were fishes I would need a verrrrrry bid aquarium!!)

Rating: PG

For the Past, Present and Future Part 4

Amano and Yukari stared in shock at the strange cat-girl afore them as van slowly lowered Merle and himself to the ground, his friend's weight too much for him at the moment.

Merle had her head buried against Van's shoulder, but turned her head away when she sensed someone else besides her friend. "H-Hitomi? Is that really you?" she wiped her eyes with a paw and took another look.

"Yes. I'm back," Hitomi walked the short distance and knelt before Merle and Van. The cat-girl had hardly changed since Hitomi saw her 10 years ago. She was slightly taller but, other than that, remained the same.

Amano and Yukari stepped forward, causing Merle to jump slightly and tighten her already tight grip on Van.

The Fanelian king pried her off of him. "Don't worry; they are friends, of Hitomi," he added as an afterthought. "So the Renagerade are still in Fanelia?" He got to his feet.

"Yes, they are waiting for you to come back," Merle stood as well and waited for Van to speak.

He thought for a minute, then turned towards the trio from the Mystic Moon. "I need to go back. You can either stay or join me. I will leave that decision to you." He turned to Merle and started to converse with her.

"Hitomi," Yukari spoke. "What are you going to do?"

"Fight with Van," she said without hesitation.

Amano stepped in front of her. "Are you sure that is wise? You could be killed!"

"I wasn't sent here to cower in the shadows."

"Why us, then?" Yukari said from Hitomi's right.

"I'm sorry," she lowered her head. "It was probably an accident for you to get taken with me…"

"Look," Amano said sternly, struggling with keeping his voice low. "I don't want you to get hurt, let alone killed. Please," he lowered his voice to a whisper, "don't do anything rash; please stay out of this. This isn't your battle."

She smiled, he still had a place in her heart. "I have to do this. These people are my friends. You can stay here if you like, but I am going," her tone left no room for argument. She stepped around Amano and over to Van who had just finished his talk with Merle.

Van looked at her, eyes narrowing as he judged where she stood. "You'll be needing this," he finally spoke, then removed the pendant from around his neck. It glowed as Hitomi reached for it, as if welcoming back a long-lost friend.

She took it and put it around her own neck and the glowing subsided. She looked at the stone for a few additional seconds, then looked to Van and Merle, then to Amano and Yukari.

Amano looked at his fiancée. "You always said we needed some adventure in our lives," he shrugged, waiting to see what she wanted to do.

"Fine, but I'm staying as far away from these Renagerades as possible," she was clearly not very happy about her decision.

"Hopefully we all can," Van interjected.

Merle turned to him. "What are you planning on doing?" her voice was filled with worry.

"I'm going to surrender.


End file.
